1. Field of the Invention
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention, in general, relate to a communication network and method of providing a subscriber with a blend of services of the communication network delivered to the subscriber through a telephone and services delivered to the subscriber through a TV delivery system in communication with the network, and to a method of processing an incoming call to the subscriber.
2. Description of the Related Art
The Internet Protocol (IP) Multi-Media Subsystem (IMS) is an IP multimedia and telephony core network defined by the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP and 3GPP2) standards and organizations based on Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) Internet protocols. A 3GPP/IMS network is access independent as it supports IP to IP session over wire line IP, 802.11, 802.15, CDMA, packet data along with GSM/EDGE/UMTS and other packet data applications.
The 3GPP/IMS services architecture is a unified architecture that supports a wide range of services enabled by the flexibility of Session Initiation Protocol (SIP). SIP is a signalling protocol for Internet conferencing, telephony, event notification and instant messaging. SIP was developed within the IETF Multiparty Multimedia Session Control working group. SIP can also invite participants to already existing sessions, such as multicast conferences. Media can be added to (and removed from) an existing session. SIP transparently supports name mapping and redirection services, which supports personal mobility—users can maintain a single externally visible identifier regardless of their network location.
There is a desire to leverage investment in the IMS service infrastructure and to provide new service offerings by providing “blended” services to a subscriber of services of different platforms, such as a subscriber to a communication network and a TV delivery system. For example, service providers may desire to be able to provide blended services (e.g., phone, multicast, television/video, etc.) to a subscriber of a 3GPP/IMS network and another platform or service infrastructure such an Internet Protocol Television (IPTV). IPTV services typically include the ability to enable a user/viewer to display caller ID information, instant messages, e-mail or Short Message Service (SMS) on the TV.